It's Always the Little Things
by XxAngelMaexX
Summary: Whenever he needed her, she was there. All the little struggles in everyday life, she would help him through them. It didon't matter how small the issue, she's help. Besides, it's always the little things. (One-shot, no GouxRin, just family fluff :P)


(A/N: I'm bored and have absolutely nothing to do right now. No indenting as of now, I'm writing it on my phone. Haha... Sorry I guess! I might go back and fix it up later, but this will have to do until that day. Anyway, let's just get on with it!)

Long locks of maroon hair flowed gently in the brisk autumn breeze as one Gou Matsuoka sat on the foot of her bed, head in her hands as she looked out the open window of her bedroom. It had been a long day, what with her brother going through a lot of stress lately and her having to be the one who sorted out all his problems.

She still didn't see what it was that made boys so confusing. Sure, the girls in her life weren't always easily dealt with either, but seriously. Rin and the Iwatobi boys have had it out for each other for most of this year, and Gou just couldn't see why.

As kids, the group was always so tight. They spent all their time together swimming or just plain messing around, but either or, they never left each other's sides. Every problem was always solved together, and they never had to go through anything alone. Any and all pain was shared between them. No exceptions.

A loud crash echoed through her house, and Gou sat up, startled. A few strands of hair came loose from her ponytail.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear..." She muttered under her breath, standing up with a grimace etched on her face. She slammed her door behind her as she stormed out of her room towards the most likely source of the noise: the den.

Sure enough, she saw him as soon as she entered the now completely destroyed room. Her brother, Rin, standing frozen over a small broken vase. Dirt was scattered on the floor all around the crime scene, and a single carnation was just barely visible lying halfway under the couch.

"Rin, where were you? You said you'd be home three hours ago. You didn't have to sneak in like this either. We all know you're clumsy, so don't go breaking stuff." Gou said, staring her idiot brother down with eyes that could see right through him. She really had been worried, though. Rin hardly ever came home late, and he had even told her he'd even called her specifically to say that he was on his was home from his swim meet.

"I, err, got a bit caught up. I'm sorry, it won't happen again!" He said shakily. Really, he had yelled it. Rather monotonously, too. His tell. He never raised his voice unless he was upset or had something to hide.

"Hey, what's wrong? Oh, and don't you dare say nothing. I can tell when you're lying." Gou said impatiently. It was probably just something like the usual nostalgia, and she wanted nothing to do with that. However, if it were something else...

"We had a joint practice," Rin said, eyes downcast. "With the Iwatobi guys." Gou just looked at him, confused. Since when was meeting old friends a bad thing?

Rin must have noticed her confusion, because he decided that it'd be a good idea to clarify the specifics of his issue.

"Ther were all there, Haru, Makoto, Nagisa. I would have been fine if it were just them, but..." He looked away, somewhat embarrassed to be confiding in someone as close to his own age as his sister. "There was someone else with them. The four seemed really close. Do you think they're replacing me?"

"Okay, first of all, I know. I'm their manager, remember?" Gou kept staring daggers at Rin, and she could've sworn she'd seen him blush. Probably at forgetting something as big as her being in right with his non-biological family.

"Second, don't worry about Rei. He could never replace you, and you know that. You hold a really special place in the others' hearts, and they wouldn't be able to fill that with anyone except you. Rin, you have to remember that they're allowed to have other friends too. It doesn't make you any less important to them. Promise me you won't forget that."

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Rin looked down at his sister with a look of bewilderment on his face. He'd never really had anyone he trusted to solve his minor problems like this, other than her, that is. She'd always been there for him, and for that he was thankful. Sure, these little issues were pretty stupid, and he was overly emotional at almost everything, but Gou had never even hesitated to help him if he seemed like he needed it.

"Know what? You're a good sister, Gou. I couldn't have asked for anyone else." He smirked boyishly, with the intention of embarrassing her. It wasn't his sole intention, though. He really did want her to know that he was grateful for how nice she always was to him.

Feeling satisfied with the success of both of these goals, Rin leapt up to his room with the hopes of staying over for the weekend, but not before picking up the pink carnation, tucking it behind Gou's ear and mumbling something to himself.

"It goes with your hair," she'd heard him say, the words still rang clearly in her head.

"It goes with yours too, stupid!" She said, just loud enough so it could be heard from where Rin was located. Gou grinned and looked at the shards of broken pottery all over the hard wood flooring. Her grin stretched even wider an became a huge toothy smile, then a slight laugh. She added one more thing, much quieter this time.

"Brother."


End file.
